I'm only 32, and more than once this forum has been a great place for manly wisdom. I come to you gents again today...I've decided I want to buy a motorcycle.
My money is tight, but I have two options locally that interest me.
Option a) 2008 Royal Enfield Bullet 500 Military edition, 3600miles, $2500 (I'm sure they'll come down some)
Option b) 1999 Kawasaki Vulcan 500, 2800miles, $1600 (firm)
Both are owned by guys 60+
How are these bikes? How are these prices? I know I want something small for my first bike, just something to get me to work and back on nice days until I know whether it is going to be something I really want to get into. (Or go in debt for)
Man, you have to get the Royal Enfield! The Kawie is probably a more reliable bike but just compare the two:
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages1.americanlisted.com%2Fnlarge%2F2008-royal-enfield-bullet-500es-military-model-w-new-avl-motor-od-green-elec-start-americanlisted_10465476.jpg&hash=6d5424128bf3ab5edc0507a1969fd397ad49d72c) (https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bikez.com%2Fpictures%2Fkawasaki%2F2005%2F21488_0_1_2_vulcan%2520500%2520ltd%2520-%2520en%2520500%2520c_Image%2520credits%2520-%2520Kawasaki.jpg&hash=85efea7d961a1f4090845ada412231301cc63971)
And then remember what hobby has brought most of us to these forums. How else are we supposed to respond but with a shout to "Get the Army Bike!"
That was my first thought Staggerwing, but I'm such a newbie with motorcycles I was afraid someone would say "Oh no don't you know those things explode!?"
That photo looks just like the one I'm looking at, with the saddlebag cases and all.
buy a cheap car and do track days! O0
Hard to say no to the Vulcan, for the name alone.
Full disclosure here: One of the bikes I owned was a 1985 Kawasaki 450LTD, the forerunner to the Vulcan500. It was a nice little commuter bike and I rode it to work for an entire winter when I had no car. It did well by me, hardly ever breaking down. When it did I could fix almost anything with a bit of extra wire, a single 10mm socket, and one of those non-ratcheting handles that flips back and forth, all of which I kept in the tiny little locking compartment built into the seat-back. Still, my favorite bike was a 68 or 69 (no title and no internet to research provenance) Triumph Trophy 500. I probably spent at least 5 hours working on it for every 1 hour I rode it but that 1 hour was worth it, it was that much fun to ride. Eventually the Triumph's needs went beyond my meager mechanicals skills and I ended up selling it but I have some great memories of riding it on some windy roads and stopping for a pint or two.
riding bikes is among the only things on this planet that truly scares me.
I expect it stems from decades of driving down here in Flori-duh.
Get the army bike! There's a dude in my town who has a very similar bike with a sidecar that his wife rides in :)
Remember the laws of physics. You have no safety margin for error on a bike compared to even a small car with seat belts.
Quote from: airboy on October 08, 2014, 08:36:07 PM
Remember the laws of physics. You have no safety margin for error on a bike compared to even a small car with seat belts.
If he was going to be sensible he wouldn't be looking at motorbikes at all, and he certainly wouldn't be asking advice from this lot. :))
One thing though.
If you have kids you must have some really good life insurance with no motorcycle clauses and also you must wear a good helmet. Before kids I was stupid and never wore one (I live in a no-helmet-law state) and after kids I never rode
without a helmet (actually, I stopped riding completely a few years after my 1st kid was born). A brain is a mushy thing and even just skidding out on a sand patch at low speed can make you into a mental turnip without your Spaceman Spiff Brainbucket to protect you.
dumbass... if ya wore a helmet before the kids you wouldnt have kids, if ya know what I mean....
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on October 08, 2014, 09:03:06 PM
dumbass... if ya wore a helmet before the kids you wouldnt have kids, if ya know what I mean....
I
did say I was stupid back then...
advice the Grogheads is good for:
games
kids
advice Grogheads is not good for:
women
keeping safe
pretty much the rest of lifes ordeals :)
Quote from: Staggerwing on October 08, 2014, 08:55:44 PM
Quote from: airboy on October 08, 2014, 08:36:07 PM
Remember the laws of physics. You have no safety margin for error on a bike compared to even a small car with seat belts.
If he was going to be sensible he wouldn't be looking at motorbikes at all, and he certainly wouldn't be asking advice from this lot. :))
Prize for insulting everyone in one sentence.
lol
At the risk of bringing this thread down I worked with a 63 year old IT guy who loved riding his bike every chance he got (he had an Indian). He was killed while trying to get home in the rain 3 weeks ago, and he had no helmet on.
thats pretty common on the SE corridor of I-95. hence riding bikes scares the shit outta me.
I DEFINITELY plan to wear a helmet. And I actually did double my life insurance...not so much because of the bike but because everythign costs so much more now compared to when I first bought it.
I'm leaning toward the Royal Enfield because its only 20ish HP and a max speed of 70mph. I just want something to play around with. I don't' plan to be crazy, and I actually want to be able to add the sidecar later for the wifey. I'm also slightly of the opinion that if its your time to go, its your time. You'll go by tripping just as easy as falling off a bike.
Also all the jiggly avatars have made it difficult for us working folk to appear to be working lol Careful window placement is now required.
its breast cancer awareness month and thats the excuse Im sticking with.
Update: I made my decision...going to the bank tomorrow. :)
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.scooterbob.com%2Ffiles%2FRE_Military_38.JPG&hash=c4a8b718841a459d2156891fac42b47e8e338f6d)
Sooooooooo jealous!
Me too! Enjoy it.
Awesome. Have fun (and stay safe) republic!
Had it delivered today and took it for a spin around the yard. I noticed a little smoke at idle and it smelled a little rich. After reading forum posts and watching too many Youtube videos, I'm convinced its about to explode and I'm wanting to check the timing and the points...but then it sounds and runs great. Sometimes I'm my own worst enemy...
When are you going to take it on the road?
Quote from: Gusington on October 14, 2014, 09:51:34 PM
When are you going to take it on the road?
Hopefully going to get insurance tomorrow and try and get in to take my motorcycle permit test. :) I do wish I could have it checked out but I don't really trust the locals. Seems like the thing is easy to work on, though it requires regular maintenance. Check the points gap, use this tool (or a wire hanger apparently) to keep the timing just right, change the gear oil every 5k miles, engine oil every 2k miles...and I haven't made my way much past that in the manual lol
Its definitely more of a historical piece than a daily commuter lol But I'm still in love. :)
I've been driving the ol' Enfield quite a bit around town. I tell you, I cannot stop grinning like Bob from the Enzyte commercial the entire time I'm riding....
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.sodahead.com%2Fpolls%2F000273690%2Fpolls_TVad_Enzyte_SmilingBob_0151_507375_answer_2_xlarge.jpeg&hash=cf47103c78e5b3f5cd56470b00cfbcd6aeaf8b52)
^That's not Bob, that's our very own Marty Ward.
So I'm selling the Royal Enfield because I'm ready to go on an adventure. Do any of you do that sort of thing?
I cannot find a cruiser I like the looks of, so I'm leaning towards one of the more 'upright' sport bikes. My plan is to pack enough gear to camp, find a direction, and go. :) Unfortunately the Enfield's top speed of 50-55mph is downright dangerous in the 65mph speedlimit states. I don't want to go fast, I just want to be able to go the speed limit.
My budget for the bike is around $3000 so its going to be either small and newer (2008ish Ninja 250) or big and older (1999 Suzuki Bandit 1200). Any bike suggestions or suggestions in general?
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10350354_10153011866071112_4659089084986907858_n.png?oh=482ef987624c888168f4a3d1588976fd&oe=55248F72)
If you are going to lug around camping gear and other stuff do not get a small bike for the same reason you would not get a Smartcar and then put luggage on the roof. You need size and mass to keep you stable if you are all loaded up with gear. That mass and the extra low-end torque that the bigger engine gives you will be nice when you are going slow over twisty bumpy roads.
What is this adventure all about anyway? Are you going with friends on some kind of dude vaca?
DEFINITELY pick up one of those Animal helmets, though.
buy a car. O0
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on January 19, 2015, 09:34:31 PM
buy a car. O0
Motorbikes is a thing that if'n ye has to ask ye arn't ever going to know.
I ain't asking. ;)
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on January 19, 2015, 10:01:24 PM
I ain't asking. ;)
And I ain't preachin', though I have several cautionary tales.
and Ive driven past several cautionary decapitations. :(
I've totally almost watched like all the episodes of Sons of Anarchy. I'm so ready for the biker life! :idiot2:
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on January 20, 2015, 12:45:57 AM
and Ive driven past several cautionary decapitations. :(
Unfortunately there are a few of these in my family.
I've gotta say, there is a part of me which would love to have a bike. But I don't see it happening.
I will say that I try to look out of cycles as best I can.
I'm planning to tour my state and neighboring states mainly. No interstate travel, just going from park to park or military battleground to military battleground taking the back roads and taking my time.
I might do an occasional dude vaca but mostly it'll just be me, my bike, a tent, and a road. A good portion of the roads will be dirt. I'm not into the 'biker life' more of an adventure. You might say....I'm on a quest
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mypythonadventure.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F03%2FMonty-Python-and-the-Holy-Grail-monty-python-and-the-holy-grail-4968359-845-468.jpg&hash=eb6e017c6d6150a1c73dbb7f5aca3fe72d5f7cf1)
Dirt roads? You may want to look into a Dual Purpose bike if they still make them. There was a great Kawasaki 650 back in the day that eventually ended up in military hands for overseas use.
I think its the KLR 650, I've actually been looking at those.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FB7xwvAE.jpg%3F1&hash=980d8471ef0c505f460bb3851b9854f68476be4a)
That's the one!